Domestic appliance



June 28, 1960 c. F. ABRE SCH 2,942,444

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 000 00000 O 00 00000 inlaid 32 LNVENHNL CAREL F.ABRESCH MA W ATTORNEY June 28, 1960 Filed Sept. 26, 1958 c. F. ABRESCH 2,942,444

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .CAREL F. ABRESCH flmhw/ ALMA ATTORNEY tates Patent United 2,942,444 DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Carel F. Abresch, Lake Bluff, Ill., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 26, 1958, Ser. No, 763,720

11 Claims. (CI. 68-47) This invention relates to domestic appliances, and, in particular, to a domestic clothes washing machine having an improved agitator-lint-filter mechanism pursuant to which a substantial portion of the lint released by the clothes during a washingv or rinsing operation is removed from the washing or rinsing liquid.

Because of the mechanical agitation to which articles of clothing are subjected in the conventional washing machine, and the resulting flexing and turnover of the fabrics, a very appreciable amount of short fibers or lint is separated from the fabrics. This lint remains in suspension in the water, and during the centrifugal extraction of the washing liquid following the washing of the clothes, much of the lint will remain trapped in the folds of articles of clothing. Even though automatic washing machines of the domestic type include subsequent rinsing operations, it has been found that much of the lint is retained in the rinsing water and is again trapped'within the articles of clothing during the final extraction of the water. Lint is particularly noticeable on socks and other articles of clothing which may beef 2. dark color; and the user frequently misinterprets the presence of lint as an indication that the machine has not adequately washed the clothes.

Many types of filters have been proposed in the prior art and are in current use. Some washing machines continuously recirculate the washing and rinsing liquids during these operational cycles of the machine, whereupon the liquid passes from the tube of the machine into a water collector beneath the tub, and a motor-driven pump returns the liquid to the tub by way of a conduit which discharges the liquid into a filtering system from which the filtered liquid passes into the tub. Such machines use more water than is necessary and the wash water cools considerably as a result of the circulation.

Many clothes Washing machines use agitators, either of the oscillating or the vertically reciprocating type, to create the water movement necessary to cause the articles of clothing to turn about in the washing liquid. It has been observed that these mechanical devices create fluid currents which sweep out along the bottom of the washing tub, rise along the side walls, and flow into and downwardly along the agitator. In other words, the currents establish a generally toroidal circulation pattern in which the vertical axis of the agitator approximates the vertical axis of the circulation pattern. It has, therefore, been proposed to place a filter screen within the agitator, whereby during the agitation operation the washing or rinsing liquid will give up its lint to the filtering Screen. Disadvantages of this arrangement are that it requires a special agitator, and thus makes the advantages of lintfiltering unavailable to machines having conventional agitators; and the removal of the lint-filtering mechanism for cleaning or inspection involves at least partial dis-.

mantling of the agitator.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a lint filtering device in combination with an agitator of conventional pattern, whereby a lint filter may r 2 be purchased as an individual item and applied to a washing machine not originally equipped with the lintfiltering mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lint filter which is mounted wholly externally of the agitator in the path of the circulation of water resulting from the operation of the agitator, whereupon all of the washing or rinsing liquid is not forced through the filtering system, as in the case of positive circulation filtering systems, but in which it may be expected that before the washing or rising cycle is completed, substantially all of the washing or rinsing liquid will have passed through the filter.

It is another object of the invention to provide a lintfilter mechanism on a washing machine agitator which improves the water circulation pattern within the tub and, therefore, insures maximum efliciency of the filtering system. I

It isanother object of the invention to provide a lintfiltering system which improves the efliciency of some of the rinsing operations of a clothes washing machine.

In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide a lint-filtering mechanism comprising a cylindrical structure arranged to be removably mounted on the central post or shaft of a conventional, vertical agitator. Said structure includes an external housing having a plurality of slots communicating with the interior thereof, and a cylindrical filter-screen mechanism coaxially positioned within the housing in spaced relation thereto. The physical relationship of the filtering screen to the housing and to the-agitator post maintains the lint in a somewhat mobile condition, whereupon the lint will not embed itself firmly within the screen and a substantial portion of the lint will collect in a quiescent portion of the filtering system. Additional operating advantages result from the use of a dish-shaped bafiie mounted on the agitator post in such manner that it, rests upon, and is concentric with, the lint-filtering mechanism. Said bafile is of substantially greater radius than the lint-filter housing; and by reason of its disposition relative to the lint filter, serves to direct washing or rinsing liquid into the lint filter. Because of the dish-shaped construction of the baffle, it provides a receptacle for powdered or liquid detergent and the mixture thereof with the water flowing into the tub to fill it for the Washing operation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment, read in connection with the accompanying drawings in'which;

, broken away to reveal underlying structure;

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective of the lint filter,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectionalelevation of a washing machine in which-the lint-filtering structure I is equipped with the combination bafile and detergent-dis penser; and

.Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of another form of filtering screen shown in inverted'position, in order'better to reveal certain structural characteristics thereof."

Fig. 1 shows the invention in combination with the v agitator of a conventional automatic washing machine.

' Patented June 28, 1 960 journalled within the shaft 8 for rotation relative thereto. Shaft 10 extends upwardly through the central post portion 11 of an agitator l2 and is secured thereto at the top by means including a cap nut 14. A flexible rubber boot 15 is fixed at one end about an opening (not shown) in the bulkhead 3 and at its opposite end to structure (not shown) beneath the bell portion 16 of the agitator, whereby to prevent leakage of water through the bulkhead opening while permitting the driving mechanism 7 to gyrate relative to its support structure 17. The precise drive mechanism and supporting structure form no part of the present invention and may be in all respects conventional.

A washing machine of the illustrated type further comprises a top structure 18 having means defining a loading opening fitted with a hinged or removable lid 20; a flexible guard sleeve 21 is secured about the loading opening and extends into the portion of the tub 5 comprising the heavy balance ring 22 affixed to the upper rim of the tab. This guard sleeve and tub relationship may be essentially as disclosed in Clark Patent 2,703,974, granted March 15, 1955, and assigned to my assignee herein.

The top I8 is configurated to provide a controls portion 23 housing, among other things, a conventional timecycle controller 24 having an externally accessible setting knob 25 and an electromagnetic valve mechanism 26, of any conventional type, arranged to receive hot and cold water from the building supply (not shown) by way of the respective inlet fittings 2'7, 23. Said valve is arranged to discharge either hot water or cold water, or a mixture or" hot and cold water, into the tub 5 by Way of the discharge nozzle 36 suitably disposed relative to the opening 31 in the guard sleeve 21. This provides means for introducing water into the tub for the various washing and rinsing operations. The tub 5 has a row of apertures 32 immediately below the balance ring 22; it will be obvious that said apertures establish the maximum level of water or washing liquid in the tub.

As is now very well known in the art, a user of a domestic automatic washing machine places articles of clothing within the tub 5, operates the control setting.

knob to establish the duration of the washing cycle, adds detergent, and then operates the knob to an on position which connects the solenoid valve 26 to a source of electric power (not shown). As determined by a preselection of water temperature by the user, hot, warm, or cold water issues from nozzle into the tub; and

after a predetermined interval calculated to fill the tub to approximately the overflow level, water flow is automatically interrupted by the time-cycle switch 24 and the drive mechanism 7 is automatically energized to oscillate the agitator 12. As illustrated, the agitator is of the three-bladed type in which blades 33 are disposed at 120 intervals and extend radially outwardly from the bell 16 and post it. The oscillation of the agitator causes the blades '33 to create a toroidal pattern of currents in the washing liquid, with the agitator post 11 being substantially at the vertical axis of the toroidal pattern. The clothes (not shown) are flexed by the agitator blades and tumble about in the washing liquid, whereupon all portions of the clothes are exposed to washing action.

The following series of operations is usual in domestic washing machines. After the selected washing period has expired, the controller 24 operates mechanism (not shown) which interrupts the oscillation of shaft 10 and transmits motor power to the tub shaft 8, whereupon the tub is rotated at speeds of the order of 600 rpm. to cause thfree liquid in the tub,-and much of that held by the articles of clothing, to escape from the tub by centrifugal action. Theescaping liquid flows through the holes 32 into the water collector chamber 4, from which it is removed by a motor-driven pump (not shown). During the last minute or two of this spinning operation, water is introduced into the tub to wet the clothes with clear rinse water, and thus help purge the clothes of any dirty or soapy water which may be entrained therein.

The tub then comes to a stop, whereupon it is filled with clear rinse water to efiect a continuing overflow of water through the holes and the agitator is again automatically operated to thoroughly subject the clothes to the rinsing operation. During this operation, fioatable dirt and scum, and floating lint, is evacuated through the holes 32. After the rinsing period, as established by operation of the controller 24, the agitator is stopped and the rinse water centrifugally extracted by the rapid rotation of the tub, following which the time-cycle switch turns the power olf and the washed and rinsed clothes are ready for removal from the tub in a damp-dry tively small openings 51.

condition.

The agitation of the articles of clothing during the washing and rinsing operations releases lint particles from the fabrics. Those which are essentially fibrous such as cottons and wools may release very substantial quantities. The present invention provides a lint-trapping assembly which is extremely effective, because of its structural arrangementand the manner of its combination with the agitator.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the lint-trapping mechanism 40 is removably mounted on the central post 11 of the agitator 12 to constitute with the agitator, means for effecting passage of washing and rinsing liquid through the filtering system. The lint filter structure comprises an outer housing 41 which may be molded of a phenol formaldehyde condensation product such as Bakelite." The housing is cylindrical and a central portion thereof is provided with a plurality of horizontal openings 42. These openings may be in a uniform rank and file arrangement, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or may be in a staggered disposition, as shown in Fig. 4. Preferably, the openings have their greatest dimension in the horizontal direction, as shown. The upper portion 43 of the housing is imperforate and is provided with an external step 44. The lower portion 45 (see Fig. 2) also is imperforate. The housing has an inwardly extending radial flange 46 which, in cooperation with the strainer element and the housing portion 45, provides a pocket for the accumulation of lint, as later described. The housing further comprises an imperforate skirt portion 47, which supports the housing on the upper edges of the agitator blades 33. It is important to note that the skirt portion has an uninterrupted bottom edge whereby the agitator and the lint-filtering structure are capable of rotation relative to each other.

The filtering mechanism also includes the cylindrical screen member 56, preferably comprising a lap-welded sheet of stainless steel or like corrosion-resistant material, punched or otherwise formed to have a plurality of rela- In practice, the openings are within the range of from 0.040" to 0.047" in diameter. s shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the openings in the lower wall portion 52 of the screen extend to below the lowermost housing opening 42. The screen terminates in the outward flange 52a which, when the screen member is in operative position within the housing, rests upon the flange 46, thus completing a pocket 53 within which free lint will accumulate. The upper end of the screen is provided with a metal cap 54, which has a downturned rim 55. Said rim releasably telescopes over the stepped portion 44 of the housing.

As best appears in Fig. 3, the cap 54 is imperforate and in theembodiment of Fig. 2, the cap is formed with a continuous rolled edge to provide a bead 56 welded to the inner wall of the screen. This construction creates an air cell 57. It will also be noted that the upper wall portion 53 of the screen is imperforate, whereby the wall 43 of the housing and the cap 54 and wall portion 58 cooperate to provide an air-entrapping pocket 60. During operation of the washing machine, the housing is completely submerged. The buoyancy provided by the air cell 57 and the air pocket 66 tend to oppose the downdrag of the circulating washing or rinsing liquid, and the filter struc' ture rests lightly upon the agitator blades which, there fore, may have movement relative to the filter housing. In short, the housing does not necessarily oscillate as abruptly as the agitator and the lint-entrapping pocket 53 is relatively quiescent, thus providing for the reception and retention of the loose lint particles designated L in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the inner rim 61 of the cap 54 fits relatively closely, although not in a binding manner, about the agitator post 11, thus cooperating with the skirt 47 in maintaining the stability of the filter structure in the agitator while permitting the relative movement above noted.

In the filter screen embodiment fragmentarily illustrated in Fig. '5, the cap 54a is attached to the inner wall of the screen 50 by a series of spaced tabs 61a, whereby this embodiment does not have an air cell corresponding to the cell 57 of Fig. 2. In each case, however, the portion of the cap 54 overlying the annular space between the screen 50 and the housing 41 is imperforate, thereby blocking off this annular space against any direct entry of liquid from above.

It will be understood that at the uppermost central portion of the tub, the toroidal movement of liquid therein is characterized by relatively strong downward currents. Such water currents, entering directly into the top of the filter mechanism in the space between the housing and the screen, would conflict with the radially infiowing currents and create a turbulent condition which would interfere with the deposit of lint on the filter screen. The closure provided by the cap 54 prevents this unwanted downfiow within the filter.

The embodiment of Fig. 4includes, as a component of the lint-filtering system, a dish-shaped baffle structure 62, which, when in operation, is disposed immediately above the top plate of the filter screen. Because of the close relationship of the bafile to the filter means, the matter of buoyancy of the filter structure itself is not of such importance, for upward movement of the filter means is practically precluded by the bafile. In fact, in some installations, the bafile may rest directly on the filter top 54.

The structure 62 is molded of a synthetic plastic which may be similar to that used for thehousing 41. It is formed to'have a bottom wall 63 which merges by way of the curved portion 64 into the upwardly and outwardly extending side wall portion 65. A central hub 66 matches the slope of the frusto-conical agitator post 11 and fits freely thereon; and it will be noted that the minimum inside diameter of the hub 66 is larger than the maximum diameter of the agitator capnut 14, as is, also, the inside diameter of the opening defined by the wall portion 61 of the screen element. Both the structure .62 and the filter system may, therefore, be removed without removal of the nut 14 or otherwise disturbing the agitator per se.

The inner Wall of the structure 62 has a definite shoulder 68, and the inside bottom wall is preferably formed with a series of concentric ridges 70. The structure 62' is useful as a receiver for liquid or granular detergent (not shown), and the shoulder 68 serves as a filling guide to'enable the user to determine the proper amount of detergent to use. As clearly appears in Fig. 4,

the placement of the inlet valve nozzle 30 is such that.

water discharging therefrom enters the structure 62 and then splashes out or floods over the top thereof. During this operation, the detergent content is mixed with the incoming water and the mixture flows into the tub. The ridges 70 create sufficient turbulence to insure that all of a powdered detergent is evacuated into the tub. Obviously, the structure 62 will retain some liquid when the water inflow terminates, but this will largely be discharged into thetub as the structure oscillates during the washing period.

As previously indicated, the dish-shaped structure 62 has other important functions. The curving bottom pol able influence on the water fiow pattern. The bottom portion of the structure 62, by enforcing the water flow as aforesaid, helps prevent the clothing from accumulating in the area at the top of the agitator post. In this respect, the diameter of the baflle is important. The diversion of fluid currents inwardly and downwardly toward the agitator appears best obtained when the effective baffle surface, that is, the surface immediately below the operating liquid level, is of the order of one-third the diameter of the tub at that point.

It has also been noted that at certain times in the operational cycle, the clothing is subjected to-a spray-rinse while the tub is rotating. Ordinarily, the spray-rinse comprises the simplestep of having the water discharging from the fill valve nozzle strike a limited target area. As the tub is then rotating relative to the water stream, some portion of all of the clothes about the inside of the tub' because of friction or other causes. In either event, the

incoming water as it strikes the rotating pan will scatter in a true spray fashion and wet a larger area of the clothes. This produces a much more effective sprayrinsing action.

Referring now to Fig. 2, which typifies the action of the lint-filter structure for each of the embodiments thereof, it will be seen that liquid will enter the ports 42 of the filter housing about the full circumference thereof. The lint-carrying liquid passes through the screen, depositing a substantial amount of the lint on the exterior of the screen. The liquid passes downwardly along the agitator post 11 and discharges through the annular space 71 between the filter screen and the agitator post. Because of the violent action of the liquid and the close proximity of the smooth surfaced agitator shaft relative to the surrounding screen, there will be some back deflection of liquid, as suggested bythe arrows in Fig. 2. This counterflow movement tends to keep the trapped lint mobile; that is to say, it does not become tightly plastered on the screen surface and a substantial quantity will drift down into the pocket 53, for in view of the fact that the screen openings 51 extend below the lowermost opening 42, there is a downward current within the pocket 53. The cleaning of the lint screen is, of course, a simple matter. The filter structure is removed from the agitator post and the screen withdrawn from the housing, where- 7 upon the lint may be brushed or washed therefrom. The

made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended 1 claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. r

I claim:

1. In a clothes washing machine having a washing tub I to receive a quantity of washing liquid and agitator means insaid tub arranged for oscillation therein about a vertical axis to create toroidal movements of said washing liquid therein; lint-filtering mechanism including a substantially cylindrical housing member having a plurality of liquid flow passages through the wall thereof, a substantially cylindrical filter screen removably disposed within said housing member, said housing member and said screen having mutually cooperating wall means disposing said screen in concentric spaced relation to said housing member and providing for inflow of washing liquid into said said screen substantially solely through said housing member passages and discharge of liquid from within said screen in an axially downward direction, and means for supporting said filter mechanism on said agitator in surrounding relation thereto with the housing member passages disposed below the normal operating level of washing liquid in said tub, whereby said filter is in the path of downwardly moving liquid currents, said filter-supporting means maintaining said filter mechanism relatively loosely on said agitator while permittingsaid filter mechanism to oscillate during oscillation of said agitator.

2. A clothes washing machine, comprising a washing tub to receive a quantity of washing liquid and articles to be washed therein, agitator means having a vertical post portion disposed Within said tub and agitator blade means extending radially therefrom in the lower portion of said tub, means for oscillating said agitator to effect a washing operation characterized by a movement of washing liquid inwardly toward said agitator post in the upper portion of said tub and a downward flow of washing liquid along said post, a lint-filtering mechanism disposed on said agitator post, said mechanism including a tubular housing coaxial with said agitator post and having a plurality of side wall openings to accommodate liquid flow therethrough during said liquid movement, a tubular screen member removably disposed within said housing in overlying relation to the side wall openings therein, wall means extending between said screen member and an imperforate wall portion of said housing to provide a lint-trapping pocket, means between said screen and said agitator post to provide a passage to accommodate the said downward movement of said washing liquid, and means for supporting said filter mechanism about said agitator post for free movement relative thereto, whereby said lint filter mechanism is subject to movement in said tub in modes influenced by but not identical with'rnovement of said agitator means.

3. In a clothes washing machine having a washing tub to receive a quantity of washing liquid and an oscillating agitator means in said tub to create toroidal movements in said tub, said agitator means having an upstanding, smooth-surfaced central post portion; lint-filtering mechanism comprising a substantially cylindrical housing member having a plurality of liquid flow passages through the side wall thereof, a substantially cylindrical filter screen disposed concentrically within said housing memher in spaced relation to the inner wall thereof, means extending across the top of said housing member and said filter screen to form a top closure for the annular space between said filter screen and said housing member, said closure means having an opening concentric with said filter screen whereby said filtering mechanism may be placed on said agitator, the post portion thereof passing coaxially through said filter screen, and means for removably supporting said filtering mechanism on said agitator with said liquid fiow passages of said housing member below the normal operating level of washing liquid in said tub, said supporting means providing for movement of said filtering mechanism independent of movement of said agitating means during a washing operation, and said supporting means, further, providing an annular space about the bottom of said filter screen and the agitator post for the passage of filtered washing fluid therethrough.

4. In a washing machine having a washing tub to receive a quantity of washing liquid and articles of clothing to be washed therein, a combination agitator and lint-filter assembly comprising an agitator structure disposed within said tub and arranged for oscillation about a vertical axis to create substantially toroidal movement of liquid in said tub during a washing and rinsing operation, a cylindrical housing structure on said agitator at a level Wholly below the normal operational level of washing liquid, said housing structure having a plurality of passages through the wall thereof, a cylindrical filter member removably disposed within said housing structure coaxial therewith in spaced relation to the wall thereof, wall means at the top of said housing structure and said filter member to prevent any substantial axial flow of liquid from above said housing structure into the space between said housing structure and said filter member, wall means at the bottom of said filter member for preventing discharge flow of liquid from between said filter member and said housing structure, and wall means for mounting said filter member about said agitator for rotation relative thereto and in spaced relation therewith, whereby liquid entering through said housing structure wall openings will pass through said filter member and escape through the space between said filter member and said agitator, and said housing structure and said filter member are not constrained to oscillate at the frequency of said agitator.

5. In a washing machine having a tub to receive a quantity of washing liquid and articles of clothing to be washed therein, a combination agitator and lint-filter means comprising an agitator structure disposed within said tub for oscillating movement on a vertical axis, said agitator having an upstanding central post portion and blade means disposed below said washing liquid for creating substantially toroidal currents therein upon oscillation of said agitator during a washing operation, a cylindrical filter housing having passages through the wall thereof, said housing having a skirt portion for the support of said housing on said blade members with the said wall passages disposed wholly below the normal operating level of washing liquid, a cylindrical filter screen having a diameter larger than that of the agitator shaft, Wall means at the top of said screen extending into engagement with said housing to support said screen Within said housing in concentric spaced relation to the wall thereof, said wall means having an opening to accommodate said agitator post portion with small clearance therebetween whereby said wall means and said housing skirt removably support said filter means on said agitator for movement independently thereof with the shaft thereof extending through said filter screen in spaced relation therewith to permit back deflection of liquid from the agitator post through the filter screen to deter the plastering of lint thereon, and closure means disposed between the bottom of said filter screen and said housing to enforce flow of filtered liquid through the space between said filter screen and said agitator shaft.

6. Combination agitator and lint-filter means according to claim 5, in which the filter housing and the filter structure have cooperating wall means at the top thereof to provide buoyancy thereto to oppose the downdrag of liquid currents thereon and reduce the frictional engagement of said housing skirt with said agitator blades, whereby the lint filter means is not constrained to oscillate with said agitator during a washing operation.

7. in a washing machine having a Washing tub to receive a quantity of washing liquid and articles of clothing to be washed therein, a combination agitator and lint filter assembly, comprising an agitator structure disposed within said tub for oscillation about a vertical axis, said agitator having an upstanding frusto-conical post portion and blade means extending radially therefrom below the level of washing liquid to create currents therein upon oscillation of said agitator during a washing operation, a tubular housing having openings through the Wall thereof, said housing having a skirt portion for the support of said housing on said blade members with the wall openings wholly below the normal operating level of washing liquid, said housing, further, having amular wall means extending radially inward from a point intermediate the lowermost wall passage and the bottom of said skirt, a tubular filter screen having a diameter larger than that of the agitator shaft, wall means at the bottom of said filter screen for the support of said screen on said annular housing wall means with the screen extending upwardly therefrom in concentric spaced relation with said housing, the portion of said housing between said lowermost well passage and said annular wall means, and a portion of said filter screen :facing said housing portion, each being imperforate so as to provide an annular lintreceiving pocket, and wall means at the top of said filter screen and said housing to preclude direct entry of liquid from above the housing into the annular space surrounding said screen, said wall means having an opening to receive the agitator post with slight clearance therebetween; said last-named wall means and said skirt portion serving to support said housing and therewith associated filter screen removably on said agitator with the filter screen wholly in spaced relation to said agitator, whereby to accommodate the flow of liquid through said filter screen and downwardly along said agitator shaft for discharge at the bottom of said filter screen.

8. In a washing machine having a washing tub to receive a quantity of washing liquid and articles to be washed therein, a combination lint filter and agitator assembly, comprising an agitator structure disposed within said tub for oscillation about a vertical axis during a washing operation, said agitator having an upstanding post portion and blade means extending radially therefrom below the level of Washing liquid to create currents therein upon oscillation of said agitator, an open-ended cylindrical housing structure having openings through the wall thereof, said housing having a skirt portion for the support of said housing on said blade members with the said wall openings wholly below the operating level of the washing liquid, a cylindrical filter screen disposed within said housing in concentric spaced relation therewith, means on said filter screen for removably attaching said screen to said housing, and a baffle structure removably mounted on said agitator post immediately above said housing and in covering relation to said housing and said filter screen, said battle structure having a substantially flat, circular, bottom disposed below the operating level of fluid in said tub and an outwardly.

and upwardly curving side wall disposed radially outward of the said filter housing and serving to direct fluid through said housing wall openings into filtering relation with said filter screen during the oscillation of said agitator.

9. The combination according to claim 8, in which said baflie structure has an upstanding tubular hub porincluding an agitator having an upstanding post portion) at the axis of said tub, fluid-introduction means including a nozzle discharging laterally into said tub from above the level thereof, motor means for rotating said tub during an operational phase of said Washing machine, and a bafiie member mounted on said agitator post below the level of said nozzle to intercept the fluid stream issuing therefrom to cause it to enter said tub in a dispersed form rather than a solid stream, whereby during the rotation of said tub articles against the side wall thereof may be subjected to a liquid spray treatment; said battle member, further, having an upwardly and outwardly sloping peripheral wall disposed wholly below the top of the tub to provide a detergent-receiving receptacle in which a previously-placed charge or detergent may be mixed with the liquid issuing from said nozzle and the mixture caused to enter the tub by flow over the said peripheral wall of said bafie member.

11. The combination according to claim 10, in which the diameter of said bafiie member is of the order of onethird the diameter of said tub at the normal operating liquid level.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,168,068 Loweke Aug. 1, 1939 2,282,847 Barifli May 12, 1942 2,498,894 McCormick et a1. Feb. 28, 1950 

